Regrets
by Rick Brainard
Summary: Has nothing to do with my United Worlds series. Just a short fic based on Cloud and Tifa 5 years after the end of the game. Reviews are most appreciated.


REGRETS: A FINAL FANTASY 7 STORY 

**It was the day after Christmas in Kalm. Cloud Strife lived with his now fiancée Tifa Lockhart. Though five years have passed since Aeris died for the sake of the greater good he still thought of her. Cloud wasn't alone they all held Aeris in their thoughts. After all she gave her life so they could live. Tifa leaned against him her head on his shoulder, she was nearly asleep. He was lost in thought when he softly muttered to himself**

**"Maybe in the spring I'll look for her." **

**This was enough to rouse a nearly asleep Tifa who stiffened in his loose embraced looked at him in surprise, when she finally put it together of whom he spoke up it was replaced by anger and sadness.**

'**Why does he have to keep bringing her up?' she thought angrily. 'Why can't he let her memory rest like the rest of us had done. Does he still love her over me? Was this whole engagement a fiasco? A quick fix?' With those questions flowing through her mind she roughly left Cloud's absent minded embrace. Cloud looked at his wife to be in confusion. She stood there her back to him**

**"You still love her." Tifa said she then turned to look at him the hurt plain in her wine colored eyes. "Don't you!"**

**"I think of her." Cloud said, reaching for her but she shrugged his hand off her slender shoulder and raced towards her room. Cloud sighed as he ranhis hand through his still spikey hair. Him and his big mouth, he heard Tifa's door slam shut. He decided to go to her room he had to explain himself and make her listen to him! When he got to Tifa's room he turned the door knock only to find the door was locked.**

**"Tifa!" he called praying she would hear how sincere he was. "Let me explain." There was silence, he pressed his ear against the door to hear rustling then the door opened. Tifa stood there in her jacket he could tell by the look in her eyes that any attempt to comfort her would result in her distancing herself further.**

**"Tifa.." he started. "I love you.." She held a finger to his lips to silence him.**

**"Cloud." She said softly. "I love you! I know you love me too! But your also still in love with her. You've never accepted the fact she died to ensure that we would live! She's dead! None of us wanted her to die but it happened. Everyone has moved on, everyone but you I can't do it Cloud, I'm simply not strong enough to stay here in … competition with a dead woman!" Sadly she took off her engagement ring and placed it in Cloud's hand she closed his hand over it, she sadly kissed him on the cheek. "I'm leaving, please don't you dare follow me, and don't call me."**

**Cloud look at the ring as if he was just kicked in the stomach and got his heart ripped out.**

**"Your leaving for good?" he asked his voice choked.**

**"I might come back, maybe, but until you learn to let go and not blame yourself for Aeris' death and stop blaming yourself for what happened. It was not your fault!" Tifa said. Cloud's head fell at her words. Tifa took the chance and darted by him pausing briefly to grab a bag containing her valuables and clothes before Cloud could even protest or try to stop her. Once outside in the bitter snow covered cold she drew her hood over her head and walked out of Cloud's life. She went afew steps looking back she was out of his him and out of his life now. Tears stung her eyes as she continued on.**

**Clouds fist smacked the wood in the entrance to Tifa's now empty room. He mentally kicked himself for letting her go and again for bringing Aeris up. She was right, Aeris was dead like his mother, like Zack his best friend in the SOLDER program. He had the chance for the perfect life with someone he grew up with. He blew it, Tifa was gone now.**

**"Stop her." A familiar said. "She loves you Cloud. Don't let her leave, tell her what's in your heart. You at least owe her that even if she doesn't return you'll be free of your own prison." Cloud nodded his head was too confused to tell who she was. The voice match what he felt in his heart, something he was too afraid to voice to her. He dashed outside after her, thankfully she was walking very slowly as if she didn't want to be leaving. He ran after her hoping he could catch her before she vanished from sight in the light flury that was happening outside.**

**"Tifa!" he called praying she would hear him. She looked at him she cursed him for ignoring her orders. She however loved him for that same fault. She had to keep going, she loved and needed him, but giving it wasn't enough anymore. She needed him to love her, and she had to admit he wouldn't love her. She had to stand her ground, she slowly turned towards Cloud, her apprehension turn to fear as a truck barreled towards him! She found the words**

**"LOOK OUT!"**

**Come tumbling out of her mouth. At this time Cloud heard her warning, he was slow to avoid it but he found himself being pushed out of the way! He wrapped his arms around his savoir as the rolls in the snow. He was grateful the snow was there to cushion his landing. He opened his eyes and saw her over him her long brown hair in his face. Her slightly open jacket show her white v-necked sweater. He never turely saw how beautiful she was until now.'God she's beautiful.' He thought. **

**She was over him, her cheeks flushed, her panting breath came out in white wisps in the cold air. She starred at him a moment her was giving her that look, the one she always loved before the words came through her mouth**

**"Idiot!" she scolded as she slapped his chest. "I told you not to follow me!"**

**"I need to tell you Tifa." He said his voice comforting, she shook her head knowing what was coming next. "I need to tell you I love you. I've always loved you." He tried to draw her close to her, she shoved him away!**

**"Stop." Tifa ordered her heart beat like a jackhammer she wanted this to be true. He tried to get hold of her, he say the tears in her eyes, she shrugged away his gentle grasp "Just shut up. You won't do this to me! Please Cloud, I want to be with you, but I also want you happy! When I helped you in the Northern Crater you didn't even say thank you! You talked about Aeris! I can't live like this!" Tifa buried her face in her hands for a moment**

**"Did you ever look in the ring box?" Cloud asked gently caressing her tear stained cheek.. Tifa gave him a quizzical look. She dug in her pocket and pulled out the box that held her engagement ring she had nearly forgotten she had it.. She opened it her hands quaking violently and found a small slip of paper that read**

**Thank You Tifa.**

**Cloud took her hand in his and gently replaced the ring on her finger. She looked at him her eyes shimmered with tears. She smiled knowing this would never plaque them again. She then had a stroke of genius. **

**"I know what we can do." She said the smile returning to her features. "We can name our daughter Aeris." Cloud looked at her the puzzlement was replaced by joy.**

**"You mean?" he questioned.**

**"We're having a baby." She said. "I'm going to be a mommy and your gonna be a daddy." She took Cloud's hand in her own and placed it on her stomach. Cloud felt a rush of euphoria as she brought her close to him and kissed the top of her head. Then they kissed on the lips it was passion filled.**

**"Tifa." He said softly.**

**"Mmmmm." She replied.**

**"Maybe we should go home." He said nothing how the snow had started to coat them both. Tifa nodded, for the first time in half a decade she felt totally at ease. Cloud lifted her bags over his shoulder.**

**"You know." Tifa said looking at the clearing sky so she could see some of the stars. "Maybe this won't be such a bad year after all."**

**"We'll find out together." He said. "Just the three of us." Tifa nodded as the two of them went into their home.**

**On a hilltop a lone figure stood there. This had all gone as it was fated to go. They found each other, the out of control truck helped push them together. She had told Cloud to find her, she smiled as she watched through the window Cloud and Tifa kissed each other. She nearly choked when Tifa made the suggestion. **

**"Though it is fitting." Aeris whispered. **

**As Cloud and Tifa vanished into their room as did Aeris' ghost accomplishing what she set out to do.**

**Authors Note: This has nothing to do with United Worlds; this was just something I felt like doing so I did. Comments are more than welcome. I also edited it with some help.**


End file.
